1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the initiation of propellants, especially for guns, rockets, gas generators and similar known applications.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Present techniques for the initiation of propellants are not ideal in a number of respects. For example, large calibre guns may incorporate a charge of stick propellant, (ie. a collection of propellant sticks) which is initiated by a device known in the United Kingdom as a tube vent electric (TVE). In such a device a hot burning material is caused to deflagrate rapidly by the conversion of an electrical stimulus into hot particle output through holes in its body thereby initiating the surrounding propellant material. Internal ballistics and reproducibility of gun performance are affected. The TVE also occupies a significant fraction of the volume of the propellant charge. The initiatory material in the TVE is moisture-sensitive and is also sensitive to rough usage so that the propellant may or may not ignite in the manner predicted and even when it does ignite the burning process may be unpredictable.
Modern gun propellants may comprise compositions formulated to have low vulnerability to attack by bullets, fragments and the like. Such compositions are inherently more difficult to initiate and it may be difficult or impossible to initiate such compositions by conventional techniques.
In rocket motors the design of the propellant igniter presents problems. The igniter throws a rain of rapidly moving burning particles into the propellant charge. The energy of the igniter is often so high that the charge may be damaged, especially at low temperatures, and this can lead to unpredictable ballistics.